Rope-clamp.



PATENTED MAR. 3, 1908.

F. ALMSTEAD.

ROPE CLAMP.

APPLIGATION FILED JUNE 29.1907..

@VMM mwa I SNCM/mu .FRANK ALMSTEAD, OF OLAYVILLE, 'NEW YORK.

ROPE-CLAMP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented march 3, 190s.

Application led June29, 1907. Serial No.. 881,435.

To all 'whom 'it may concern.

Be it known that I, FRANK ALMSTED, a citizen of the United States, residing at Clayville, in the county of Oneida and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Rope-Clamps, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a rope clamp of that type including a cam which is adapted to clamp the rope against an adjacent abutment or surface, the cam bein provided with a lever or actuating arm W ereby the rope can be released or gripped.

l`he invention has for one of its objects to improve and simplify the construction and operation of devices of this character so as to be comparatively easy and inexpensive to manufacture and convenient and reliable in use.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a rope clamping device in which the clamping cam can be manipulated by the free end of the rope, thereby enabling the clamping device to be located out of reach and still be readily controlled.

With these objects in view and others, as will appear as the description proceeds, the invention comprises the various novel features of construction and arrangement 'of 1parts which will be more fully described ereinafter and set forth with particularity in the claims appended hereto.

In the accompanying drawing, which illustrates oneof the embodiments of the invention, Figure l is a side elevation of the clamp. Fig. 2 is alongitudinal section thereof. Fig. 3 is an end view. Fig. 4 is a plan view.

Similar reference characters are employed to designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawin A designates the body of the device w ich is a metal structure consistin of parallel triangular lates 1 connected y a top portion 2, there ein an eye 3 at one end of the said portion for t e purpose of attaching the body to a rope, as shown in Fig. 1 or to a hook or other fastening 4, as shown in Fig. 2. Between the lates or ears 1 is a cam 5 that is pivoted.

on t e pin at a suitable point below the top portion 2 so as to permit the rope 7' to be engaged between the cams and bottom side of the top. The cam-5 is formed with a lever 8 that extends a proximately at right angles to the general ength of thegripping face'of the cam, and is provided with Van opening 9,

as clearly shown in Fig. 3, for receiving `'the free end of there 7. The ri face yof the cam is formedpievith teethrsldllaped as to bite into the rope and resist a draft on the latter in a direction awa lfrom the anchord end of the body A, an the under side of the top 2 has teeth 11 that cooperate with the cam to tightly clamp the rope.

In practice, the clamping device can be secured to a hook or other fastening, as shown in Fig. 2, or to one end of the rope 7, as shown in Fig. l, where an endless clothes line or the like is desired, and it will be noted that the body A is comparativel narrow and flat on its top side so as to enab e the device to freely pass around Guide pulleys without throwing the rope off the latter. The free end of the rope is inserted through the body of the device and over the cam and hence through the opening 9 of the lever 8. To secure the free end of the rope, the lever 8 is moved by hand to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 2, to permit the ro e to be drawn tight, and then by throwin t e lever-to the full line position, the cam wi l tightly clamp the rope.

It will be noted that the draft on the rope in the direction indicated by the arrow will cause the teeth 10 to bite deeper and deeper into the rope and thereby resist such draft. The construction of the device is such vthat the latter .can be readily operated even when the lever 8 is beyond the reach of the operator, and for this purpose, the free end of the rope is adapted to hang at a point conveniently within the reach,so that by taking hold of the rope and simultaneously pulling the latter -to the left and downwardly, the parts will be thrown to the dotted line position, Fig. 2, thereby enablin the ro 'e to be drawn taut without the teet inter ering. While the rope is thus held taut, it is pulled to the right so as to cause the lever to assume vthe full line position and clamp the rope between the teeth 10 and 11.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, the advantages of the construction and of the method of operation will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains, and While I have described the principle of operation of the invention, together with the apparatus which I now consider to be the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood thatthe apparatus shown is merely illustrative and that coperating with a ortion o such changes may be made when desired, as are Within the scope of the claims. f

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is:- l

A rope clamping device comprising a. body or frame having parallel ears, a cam pivoted' between the ears and having a rip ing face f t e clamping a rope or t e like, teeth on the cam shaped to permit the rope to slide in one direction, a lever on the cam dis osed approximately at right angles With t e general ame for' having its free end threaded through the opening of the lever. In testunony whereof, I affix my signaturev 20 1n presence of two witnesses.

FRANK ALMSTEAD.

Witnesses:

Mrs. JOHN ABRIAL, Mrs. C. C. ALMsTEAD. 

